In December 1993 all member states of the UN adopted the Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. Australia took an active role in the development of the Standard Rules and has met its reporting requirements in relation to its implementation.
Disability Services Ministers meetings
The Australian Ministers responsible for disability services have recently welcomed the participation of Papua New Guinea and New Zealand to their regular meetings. Through these meetings, Australia is able to share its extensive experience in the development of disability policy, and also gain an insight into the social policies of the other countries.
International Assistance
Australia was one of a number of OECD countries that made a voluntary financial contribution to the OECD project 'Transforming Disability into Ability: Policies to promote work and income security for disabled people'. This report is yet to be publicly released.
The Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services is responsible for a wide range of social policies and services that affect Australian society and the living standards of Australian families, communities and individuals. The Department's policy expertise and experience is made available to other countries through consultancies, capacity building and study tours.
The Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services (International Branch) has worked with newly emerging states, to assist countries to develop and/or redesign their social assistance and social policy systems.
The Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services works closely with multilateral funding organisations, such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Labour Organisation, United Nations Development Program and the United Nations Office of Project Services, to provide international best-practice solutions directly to client Governments. In working with other countries, the Department's International Branch develops country-specific solutions that do not rely on ongoing external support.
The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) is responsible for delivering Australia's official development assistance. In 2002-03 its budget is estimated to be around $1.8 million. This development assistance is focused mainly on the Asia Pacific region.
In 2002-03 Australia will provide an estimated $230 million of direct assistance for health to developing countries. Australian support for health will account for around 13 percent of overall aid expenditure.
In 2003-03 Australia will support health sector reforms and management at the national and local levels. Support will also be provided to strengthen service delivery and increase access for the poor to affordable services, including community based services. This will include:
- Improved overall governance of health sector services, and in turn improved disability services;
- Direct improvements to disability services, and
- Improved outcomes for people living with a disability through components of broader development projects.
In 2001-02, Australia provided A$1 304 842 directly to projects and programs to improve disability services. In addition, the Australian overseas aid program contributed significant funding to disability services through components embedded in broader development projects and programs.
This funding targets a wide range of disability services, and is provided both as bilateral and multilateral assistance. It includes: the provision of rehabilitation services to people with physical disabilities in Cambodia; support for psychiatric services in East Timor; support to the WHO for the development of a new mental health policy; training for surgeons to treat people with head and facial deformities in Vietnam; and, increasing access to quality affordable eye care services for disadvantaged people in Nepal. This list is not comprehensive and is presented to illustrate the range of activities AusAID supports.
The Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services has undertaken consultancy work in Agentina, Bulgaira, China, Hungary, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Russia, Thailand and the United Kingdom.